Foxconn, a.k.a. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., has just reported its fourth-quarter finances, which include a net income figure up 5.6% over the previous quarter to NT$37 billion (around $1.2 billion)–a record figure that beats many analyst expectations.

The company is said to have smoothed out some of the bumps in its production process that held back iPhone 5 supply. Improved efficiency in its production line processes have helped drive Foxconn’s record-breaking profitability by improving its margins to a three-year peak.

The iPhone and iPad are behind the improvements. CEO Terry Gou once commented on the difficulty of manufacturing the iPhone to Apple‘s required high precision and quality. Gou’s company has been rapidly expanding and he has stated that his goal is to improve production efficiency by adding over one million robots to the production lines in the coming years.

Apple’s upcoming quarterly finances are the subject of much analyst confusion–the company is expected to report record revenues but tighter margins, as is often the case when new products are introduced (thanks to increasing cost-of-manufacture, promotional spending, and other costs associated with selling a new product like the iPhone 5).